Valve



March 10, '1959 ,D NIEL 2,876,798

, VALVE Filed Nov. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l [in/en [or X 11 00M March 10, 1959 G. DANIELS VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 14, 1955 liilL fnvenlor AZZ 5.

United States atent C 2,876,798 C Patented Mar. 10, 1 959 VALVE Lee G. Daniels, Rockford, Ill. Application November 14, 1955, Serial No. 546,348 Claims. (Cl. 137'625. 2 9) This invention relates to multiple port unitary control valves.

Valves of the type herein contemplated are commonly used for the control of the liquid flows in water treatment apparatus such as base exchange Water softeners, and are usually mounted upon the tank containing the base exchange material, either directly or through associated piping. Such valves normally provide two concurrent flows and are movable between successive positions to change the direction of these flows to effect reconditioning of the water treatment bed. In view of the multi plicity of the combinations required to provide the necessary flows it has required considerable ingenuity to devise a valve structure accomplishing the purpose without malt ing the valve unduly large, heavy and complicated or restricting the flow.

With the introduction of new types of base exchange materials some years past it became desirable, though not essential, to provide an additional step in the reconditioning of the bed necessitating an additional flow combination in the valve and thus presenting a problem which heretofore has not been satisfactorily solved. As a consequence, when using these new exchange materials, some manufacturers of water treating equipment have omitted the step, others have provided auxiliary equipment for the purpose of providing this step, while still others have abandoned the use of single control multiple port valves.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a multiple port valve having novel structure arranged to provide the steps desired in the reconditioning of high capacity base exchange materials.

Another object is to provide a valve of the character described having an independent position to provide fast rinsing of a base exchange material.

A further object is the provision of a multiple port control valve constructed to provide continuous communication between the pressure inlet port of the body or multiport stator and the top port of the body.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a valve embodyingthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the valve body and gasket showing the ports and passages and showing, schematically, one arrangement of the valve body in a water treatment system;

Fig. 4 is a top view its ports and passages;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a section through the drain port of the body or stator similar to Fig. 6 but showing a modified form of flow restriction.

The valve shown in the resent embodiment comprises a body or stator 9, in this instance formed as a metal cast of the stem plate or rotor showing ing, a cover or bonnet 11 and imposed relationship as best seen from Fig. 2. Disposed across the valve face of the body is a gasket 13, formed of resilient material such as rubber, an edge portion 14 of the gasket being interposed between the body 9 and the cover 11. and serving to seal the interface between the body and the cover when cap screws 15 are drawn down. The cover has an outer wall 16 which cooperates with the side wall to define a valve chamber 17 within the cover. The cover also has an upstanding annular rim 18 pro.- vided with a plurality of annularly spaced slots 19, 2'1, 22 and 23. The 'cap 12 is secured to the annular rim 18 by a plurality of cap screws 24, the away to provide an annular opening 25 extending from the slot 19 clockwise facing Figure 1 to beyond the slot 23.

Positioned within the chamber 17 is a valve member or rotor indicated generally by the numeral 26 and shown more in detail in Fig. 4, the rotor being adapted to seat against the gasket 13. The rotor has a centrally disposed spider 27 provided with an opening for the reception of a stem 28 secured therein bymeans of a pin 29. The stem 28 extends through a stufling box 31 in the end Wall 16 and into a guide sleeve 32 on the inner side of the cap 12. The stem extends through an opening 33 in an operating handle 34, the handle being secured to the stem by means of a pin 35. The handle 34 has a toe portion 36 which bears against an outer surface 37 on the wall 16. A spring 38 acts between the inner side of the cap 12 and the lever to urge the lever and stem inward and thereby apply a seating pressure to the rotor 26 urging it to seated position against the gasket 13. The lever 34 projects outwardly from beneath the cap 12 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and is dimensioned to lie within one of the slots 19, 21, 22 or 23 in the seated position of the rotor and to move through the annular opening 25 between the various slots when the valve is lifted, turned and reseated between its various operative positions.

Fig. 3 shows one manner in which the valve may be combined in a base exchange water treatment apparatus to obtain the benefit and advantages of the invention. In this embodiment the body or stator 9 is provided with a plurality of passages including a centrally disposed pressure inlet passage 41 terminating in a threaded connec-' tion 42, for attachment of a conduit providing a supply of under pressure to the valve. The opposite end of the passage 41 terminates in an opening 43 in the face of the gasket 13. The body also has a top passage 44, a passage 45, a bottom passage 46 and a side service passage 47, all of which terminate in the face of and register with corresponding holes in the gasket, the passages terminating in openings 44-a through 47-a about ing clockwise with respect to Fig. 3, it will be observed that the drain passage opening 45-0 is located at an angle of degrees, the bottom passage opening 46-a at an angle of degrees, and the service passage opening 47-a at 300 degrees. Interposed at 60 and 240 degrees are blank spots or blind portions adapted to cooperate a cap 12 arranged in superedge of the cap being cut 51 com solution used for the regeneration of the base exchange material in the treatment tank 53 in the usual manner, the reagent commonly being sodium chloride or ordinary salt where the unit is a water softener. A normally closed valve indicated diagrammatically at 62 is commonly provided in the line 59 for controlling the flow of regenerant either manually or by automatic means. The body has a passage 63 extending between the bore 58 and the passage 44 and within this passage is disposed the injector tube 64 of an injector. The body also has a chamber 65 and a passage 66 extending between the chamber and the bore 58 for the reception of an injector nozzle 67 positioned to discharge from the chamber 65 into the injector tube 64 and thence into the passage 44. The body is also provided with a threaded opening 68 closed by a plug 69, the opening 68 being provided to permit the passages 66 and 63 to be drilled in the course of manufacture. The body also has an internal passage 71. having a'flow area of not less than about four times the flow area of the nozzle 67, extending from the passage 41 to the chamber 65 so as to provide continuous communication between the inlet passage 41 and the top passage 44 through chamber 65 and the injector.

The stem plate or rotor 26 is best shown in Fig. 4. This element is in the form of a plate-like disk having a central passage 72 extending completely therethrough and bridged by the spider 27 so as to permit the flow of liquid from the passage 41 into the chamber 17 throughthis opening. The rotor also has a large through port 73 and a small through port 74 both passing completely through the rotor and arranged on the same radius as the body openings 44-a through 47-a. The rotor also has transfer ports 75, 76 and 77 opening only onthel'ower side of the rotor, these openings being interconnected onthe-upper side by a transfer passage 78 (Fig. 2). The rotor po'rt74 isdisposed at 66 degrees with respect to the port 73, whereas the ports 75, 76 and 77 are disposed at 180 degrees, 240 degrees and 300 degrees, respectively.

Surrounding each of the ports 73 through 77 are annularribs or rings such as indicated at 79 projecting from the lower face of the rotor and adapted to bear against the gasket for the purpose of facilitating the seal. An additional sealing ring is also shown at 81 disposed at 120 degrees with respect to the opening 73 to close one of the body passages in certain positions of the valve.

Disposed in the drain passage 45 is an adjustable restriction as shown in Fig. 6. This may suitably include a ferrule or sleeve 82 threaded into the face of the body member 9, the sleeve having a plurality of slots arranged annularly thereof as indicated at 83. Positioned within the sleeve is a plunger 84 carried on a stem 85 threaded into the body and held in adjusted position by a lock out 86. The rate of flow through the passage 45 may be regulated by adjusting the plunger 84 with respect to the sleeve which should have a fiow area equal to or greater than the flow area through the injector tube 64.

In some instances it will be desirable to utilize a constant pressure flow control device such as indicated in Fig. 7 embodying the principle shown in Kempton Patout No. 2,454,929, issued November 30, 1948, wherein a seat member 87 is formed on a ferrule 88 threaded into the face of the body, the ferrule having a cavity 89 to retain a resilient annular member 91 having a central opening 92 and functioning with the seat member 87 in the manner described in the aforesaid patent to provide a uniform rate of flow to drain with variation in the upstream pressure. In this instance, also, the flow area. should be equal to or greater than that of the injector tube 64.

Assuming the valve is in use in the control of a base exchange water softener apparatus, the parts occupy the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in the service position of tated about the end of the valve and the rotor of Fig. 4 is superimposed on the body and gasket of Fig. 3 with the rotor passage 73 in registration with the stator opening 44-a. The valve 62 1S closed. Raw water enters the system through the inlet passage 41 and flows into the chamber 17 of the cover thence out through the port 73 and opening 44-a and the conduit 54 to the top of the softener tank 53. From the bottom of the tank 53 treated water flows through the conduit 55 to the bottom body opening 46-11 thence through the rotor port 75, the transfer passage 78, the rotor port 77 and the body opening 47a to the service line 57. Raw water also flows from the inlet passage 41 through the internal passage 71 to the chamber-65 (Fig. 5) thence through the injector to the top opening 44-a. Since the valve 62 is closed, no flow of reagent is induced by the injector.

When it becomes necessary to recondition the base exchange material in the reaction tank 53 the lever 34 is rothe toe portion 36 until it is withdrawn or lifted from the slot 23, whereupon it is rotated about the axis of the stem 28 to rotate the rotor and stem through 180 degrees from the position marked No. 4 to the position marked No. 1 at which the lever is allowed to enter the notch 19 which defines the backwash position of the lever and consequently of the valve mechanism.

This turns the rotor through 180 degrees and brings the rotor port 73 into registration with the body opening 46-11. The rotor port is then in registration with the top opening 44-a, the rotor port 77 is in communication with the side opening 45-a and the rotor port 76 is sealed against the gasket. Likewise the rotor port 74 is sealed against the gasket. Raw water now flows from the chamber 17 through rotor port 73, body opening 46-a and conduit 55 to the bottom of the softener tank and from the top of the softener tank through conduit 54, body opening 44-11, rotor port 75, transfer passage 78, rotor port'77 and body opening 45-a to drain. The restriction or new control of Fig. 6, interposed in the passage45 (or that of Fig. 7) maintains the pressure at a relatively high point approximating the inlet pressure, throughout the system until the water passes the restriction. Inasmuch as the difference in pressure between the inlet passage 41 and the top passage 44 is relatively small, there is only a slight flow of raw water through the passage 71 and through the injector, by passing the reaction tank, the amount of the flow being so small as to be unobjectionable in a system of this character.

When the softener tank 53 has been adequately backwashed, the lever 34 is moved to position No. 2 defining the regeneration position of the rotor by raising the lever from the slot 19 rotating it along the opening 25 and reinserting into the slot 21. This brings the rotor port 77 into registration with the body opening 46-a and brings the rotor port 76 into registration with the body drain opening 45-11. The rotor ports 75 and 73 are sealed against the gasket at blind spots therein located at 60 degrees and at 240 degrees with respect to the top opening 44-a. The small rotor port 74 in the rotor, at this position, provides a bypass of raw water to the service passage 47. Raw water now flows from the inlet passage 41 through the passage 71 to the chamber 65, thence through the nozzle 67 and injector tube 64 to top passage 44 thereby producing low pressure or suction in the conduit 59. Upon opening of valve 62 reagent is drawn through the conduit 59 into the injector and thence through the body passage 44 and conduit 54 to the softener tank 53 from which the products of regeneration flow by way of the conduit 55 through opening 46a and port 77 to port 76 and body opening 45-a to the drain conduit 56. When the requisite amount of regenerant solution has been introduced into the softener tank in this fashion the valve 62 is closed so that the water flowing to the tank through the injector is free of regenerant and acts to rinse the regenerant slowly from the softener tank.

According to the preferred mode of regeneration and rinsing as recommended by the manufacturers of modern high capacity resinous base exchange material the rims? ing should be separated into two stages, the first being accomplished by a slow rate of flow such as that provided by the flow through the injector as just described. When the rinsing has proceeded through a portion of its required duration, the rate of flow may be increased to expedite the washing. This is commonly referred to in the art as a fast rinse step.

In order to accomplish a fast is next moved to the No. 3 or fast rinse position in the manner previously described with the handle seated in slot 22. This brings the rotor port 73 into registration with the body service opening 47-11, brings the small port 74 of the rotor into communication with the body top opening 44-61; brings the rotor port 75 into registration with the body drain opening 45-a; brings the rotor port 76 into registration with the bottom body opening 46-a, and brings the rotor port 77 into a position Where the annular sealing ring seals this port against the gasket. In this position of the rotor the flow of rinse water through passage 71 and through the injector is augmented by an additional flow through the rotor port 74' through which water flows into the top body opening 44-a so that the combined flows pass to the top of the softener to augment the rate of flow therethrough. The products of regeneration pass through conduit 55 to bottom body opening 46-12, thence through rotor port 76, the transfer passage 78, the rotor port 75 and the body drain opening 45-12, the rotor port 77 being sealed in this position. material is complete, as determined by any of the well known methods, the unit is returned to service condition by moving the lever 34 from the slot 22 back to the slot 23 bringing the ports back to the position shown in the drawings.

I claim:

1. A multiple port valve for use in a base exchange water treatment apparatus of the type having a treatment tank, a service line, a drain and a reagent tank comprising a stator having a valve face, a plurality of passages having openings through said face comprising top and bottom openings arranged for connection to the treatment tank, a drain opening and a service opening arranged about a common center, the drain opening being located 120 degrees with respect to the top opening, the bottom opening at 180 degrees and the service opening at 300 degrees, means enclosing the stator face defining therewith a valve chamber, a fluid inlet in continuous communication with the valve chamber, a multiple port rotor in the valve chamber positioned in confronting relation with the stator face to position its ports in cooperative relation with the stator openings, said rotor being arranged to rotate about the aforesaid common center and having a plurality of ports spaced radially from said center a distance the same as the stator openings, one of said ports comprising a large through port positioned to cooperate with the top stator opening in a service position of the valve, the rotor having a small through port located at 60 degrees with respect to the large through port, a blind spot located at 120 degrees and transfer ports located at 180, 240 and 300 degrees with respect to said large through port, the rotor also having a transfer passage interconnecting said transfer ports, means for turning the rotor between four operative positions including means for locating the rotor in the aforesaid service position wherein the large through port of the rotor communicates with the top stator opening, the 180 degree transfer port communicates with the bottom stator opening, the 300 degree transfer port communicates with the stator service opening and the blind portion closes the drain port; a backwash position with the rotor turned through 180 degrees wherein the large through port communicates with the bottom stator openrinse step, the handle 34 When the rinsing of the base exchange- 3 ing, the 180 d'e'gree transfer port communicates with the top "stator opening, the 300 degree transfer port com-- municates with the drain opening and the blind portion closes the stator service opening; a regeneration position in which the blind rotor portion closes the top stator opening, the 300 degree transfer port 'communi cates with the bottom stator opening, the 240 degree transfer port communicates with the drain opening and the small through port communicates with the stator service opening; and a fast rinse position wherein the large through port communicates with the stator service opening, the small through port communicates with the top stator opening, the 180 degree transfer port com municates with the drain opening and the 240 degree transfer port communicates with the bottom stator opening, an injector including a nozzle and an injector tube positioned in the stator and extending transversely of the stator passages in the area between the inlet passage and the service passage, and an injector supply passage in the stator extending between the inlet passage and the injector nozzle for supplying liquid under pressure to the nozzle for flow therethrough in all positions of the rotor.

2. A multiple port valve for water treating apparatus comprising a stator having a central pressure inlet pas- 60 degrees, and 240 degrees with respect to the top opening, a drain opening at degrees, a bottom opening at degrees and a service opening at 300 degrees, av

cover seated on the rotor and defining therewith a valve ports spaced radially from said center a distance the same as the stator passages, one of said ports comprising top stator opening in a service position of the rotor, the blind port located at 120 degrees there portsat 180, 240 and 300 degrees, and a transfer passage confining flow between said transfer ports to interconnect said bottom stator opening and said service opening through the 180 and the 300 degree ports in one position of the rotor, to connect said top opening and said drain opening through the 180 and 300 degree portsin a second rotor position, to connect said bottom opening and said drain opening through the 240' and 300 degree ports in a third position of the rotor and to connect said bottom opening and said drain open ing through the 180 and 240 degree ports in the fourth position of said valve, the rotor blind port closing the top opening in the aforesaid third position of the rotor.

3. A multiple port valve for water treatment apparatus comprising a multiple passage stator having an inlet passage, a drain passage, a service passage, and top and bottom passages adapted for connection to a treat ment tank, a cover on the stator defining a valve chamber therewith in constant communication with said inlet passage, a rotor in said chamber movable between a plurality of difierent rotative settings inconfronting relation with said stator for controlling the different flows of fiuid therethrough, an ejector including a nozzle and a throat in the stator positioned to discharge into said top stator passage, said stator having an internal passage therein connecting said inlet passage and the inlet of said ejector nozzle and having a flow area greater than the flow area of said nozzle, said ejector and said internal passage providing continuous communication between said inlet and said top stator passage in all positions of the rotor, said rotor having passage means therein for communicating said bottom stator passage and said drain passage in two positions of said rotor, said rotor having means operative positioned for flow therethrough to the sage and from said bottom in one of said two positions to block flow from said chamber to-said top passage whereby a restricted flow of liquid passes from said inlet through said ejector to said top passage and from the bottom passage to drain, said rotor having a port therein for passing liquid from said chamber to said top passage in the other of said two positions, said port having a fiow area greater than the flow area of said nozzle to provide relatively more rapid flow of liquid to said top passage and from said bottom passage to drain in said other of said two positions of the rotor for rapidly rinsing the bed of exchange material.

4. A multiple port valve for water treatment apparatus comprising a multiple passage stator having an inlet passage, a service passage, a drain passage and top and bottom passages adapted for connection to a treatment tank, a cover on the stator defining a valve chamber in constant communication with said inlet passage, a rotor in said chamber movable from a service position to backwash, brining and rinse positions in confronting relation with said stator for controlling the difierent flows of fluid therethrough, an ejector including a nozzle and a throat in the stator positioned to discharge into said top stator passage, said stator having an internal passage therein connecting said inlet passage and the inlet of said ejector nozzle and-having a flow area greater than the flow area of said nozzle, said ejector and said'internal passage providing continuous communication be tween said inlet and said top stator passage in all positions of-the rotor, said rotor having a plurality of ports and passages therein,

and from said top pasrotor being operative in from .said

in the rinse position thereofto establish flow from said chamber to said topstator passtator passage to drain, said drain passage having a flow area substantially less than the flow area of said inlet and top and bottom passages for restricting the rate of flow therethrough and maintain the pressure at the top passage at a point approaching but below the pressure at said inlet passage to reduce the flow through the ejector when the valve is in the backwash position, said drain passage having a fiow area greater than the flow area of said ejector nozzle whereby to reduce the pressure at said top passage when said rotor is in its brining position and permit full flow through said ejector to said top passage.

1 5. A multiple port valve for water treatment apparatus comprising a multiple passage stator having an inlet said rotor being operative in the backwash position thereof to establish flow from said chamber to said bottom passage ,sage to said drain passage, said i the brining position thereof to block fiow chamber to said top stator passage and vto communicate .saidbottomv stator passage with said drain passage, said rotor-being operative passage, a drain passage, a service passage and top and bottom passages adapted for connection to a treatment tank, a cover on the stator defining a chamber in constant communication with said inlet passage, a rotor-in said chamber movable from a service position to backwash, brining and rinse positions in confronting relation with said stator for controlling the different flows of fluid therethrough, an ejector including a nozzle and a throat in the stator positioned to discharge into said top stator passage, said stator having an internal passage therein connecting said inlet passage and the inlet of said ejector nozzle and having a flow area greater than the flow area of said nozzle, said ejector and said internal passage providing continuous communication he tween said inlet passage and said top passage in all positions of the rotor, said rotor having a plurality of through ports and a plurality of transfer ports connected by a transfer passage, one of said through ports and said transfer passage being operative in the backwash position of the rotor to respectively establish flow from said chamber to said bottom port and to communicate said top passage to said drain passage, said drain passage having a flow area substantially less than the flow area of said one through passage, said inlet passage and said top passage whereby to restrict the flow through said drain passage and maintain the pressure at the top passage at a point approaching but below the pressure at said inlet passage to reduce the flow through the ejectorwhen the valve is in the backwash position, said rotor being operative in the .brining position thereof to block flow through said top passage and said transfer passage being operative.to communicate said bottom passage with said drain passage, said drain passage having a flow area greater than :the flow area of said ejector nozzle whereby to permit full flow through said ejector when position, another of saidthrough ports and said transfer passage being operative in the rinse position of said rotor to respectively establish flow from said chamber to said 'top passage and to communicate'said bottom passage to drain, said last mentioned through port having a flow area greater than the flow area of said nozzle to provide a rapid rinse of the treatment apparatus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS the rotor is in its brining 

